Syringe infusion pumps are used in the medical field to administer medication to patients. Syringe infusion pumps provide the ability to automatically administer medication over an extended period of time. Thus, patients receive a desired rate of medication administration. Further, medical personnel are free to attend to other duties instead of repeatedly and manually administering medication.
Generally, infusion pumps are fairly well-known in the medical field. Typical syringe infusion pumps utilize a standard syringe pre-filled with a fluid medication. The pre-filled syringe is loaded onto the syringe infusion pump for automatic dispensing of the fluid. Automatic dispensing of the fluid occurs by controlling the insertion of the syringe plunger into the syringe barrel. To control the insertion of the syringe plunger it is desirable to determine the location of the syringe plunger in relation to the syringe barrel. Additionally, it is desirable to detect capture of the syringe plunger in the syringe plunger driving mechanism when the syringe is loaded onto the syringe infusion pump.
Existing infusion pumps have detected the position of the syringe plunger. For example, linear potentiometers, rotary potentiometers, and optical vane techniques have been used in the past. Existing infusion pumps have detected capture of the syringe plunger. However, past devices have provided separate sensing of the plunger position and sensing of the plunger capture. Furthermore, some past devices have utilized an electrical connection to the moving syringe plunger driver. To accomplish an electrical connection to a moving part, those devices have utilized sliding electrical contacts or flying wires, for example. Therefore, a need exists to improve existing infusion pumps by simplifying and combining the functions of sensing syringe plunger position and capture.
The present invention satisfies this need to improve existing infusion pumps. The present invention combines both functions of sensing syringe plunger position and capture. Furthermore, the present invention removes electrical contacts between moving parts of the driving mechanism. Thus, the present invention simplifies infusion pump design, reduces space requirements and potentially reduces manufacturing cost.
Accordingly, one advantage of the present invention is to improve syringe infusion pumps.
Another advantage of the present invention is to sense and determine the position of the syringe plunger.
Another advantage of the present invention is to sense the capture of the syringe plunger.
Another advantage of the present invention is to combine the functions of sensing the position of the syringe plunger and sensing the capture of the plunger.
Another advantage of the present invention is to remove electrical contacts between moving parts of the syringe plunger driving mechanism.
Other advantages and aspects of the present invention will be apparent from reviewing this specification, the drawings, and the claims.